The Terrors of Time Travel
by LokiLiesmithLordofTime
Summary: Sally McQueen's life changes when she meets a man called the Doctor. But there are some things that doesn't make sense at all; Who is this man? Then she realises that she will need the help of Rose and Martha to save the Doctor from his dark side.plez R
1. Chapter 1

The Terrors of Time Travel

It is the year 2025, I'm Sally McQueen and I'm seventeen years old. I have a tale to tell which changed my life forever…

Chapter One: The Machine

I woke up to find everything dark. Looking at the digital clock on my bedside cabinet, I realised it was one o'clock in the morning. Never had I woken up so early! I was just about to go back to sleep, when I heard a loud bang and saw a bright light flash outside my bedroom window. I couldn't just ignore it! I got up and pulled on a pair of jeans, a red t-shirt and my black Conversers, opened my door and crept downstairs, making sure I didn't wake anyone up. I walked slowly through the kitchen and unlocked the back door to the garden, and forgetting that everyone was asleep, and being clumsy as I am, I slammed it shut. Luckily, everyone was deeply asleep in the house, and my cover was still intact. It was even darker outside than in my bedroom, but a pale light glowed at the end of the garden. I thought that maybe I should've gone back to bed at that point, but my curiosity got the better of me. At that moment, I ran to the light at the end of garden. I was astonished to find a white machine, shaped a bit like a miniature rocket, lying as if it has flown into the ground. It had strange alien-like markings around the rim, and stood around six foot tall, like a giant bulbous parsnip. It was just like E.T! Even more enquiring than I was before, I touched it, and it opened up. It was empty, except for a blue hole in the middle of the floor. It was like blue mist swirling around in the night sky, like waves splashing and whirling in a stormy sea. I leaned forward to get a closer look, but I felt hands pushing me into the churning portal, and I fell into blackness…

Chapter Two: A Time Lord

I was falling, until my feet hit a carpeted floor. It was some sort of shop, maybe H&M and it looked close to Christmas, as decorations hung down from the ceiling. The portal was still on the ceiling, and I could see feet coming through it. First, a pair of beige Conversers came through, and then a pair of brown pin striped trousers. Seeing this, I became scared and I hid behind a pillar, which didn't hide me very well. After a while, a man dropped out of the hole. He had a long light brown coat and a dark brown pin striped suit with a brown tie and blue shirt, and those beige Conversers. I looked at his face. It was young, yet it was lined with many years, and his brown eyes looked tired and weary of travelling. His hair, also brown, was windswept and almost as tired looking as his face. Then another person fell through. It was a woman. Her hair was blonde and in a sort of '20's style haircut and her bright blue eyes shone like diamonds. She was wearing an old-fashioned house cleaner's outfit, which made me think she was this man's maid. The man was glancing around, and I think he saw me.

"Oh, hello!" the man smiled, walking towards my hiding spot. "I'm The Doctor, and this is Astrid Peth. What's your name?"

"S-Sally M-McQueen. Have you come to kill me?" I asked, stuttering. I was absolutely petrified of this man, even though he seemed kind and warm.

"No, course not. We just arrived here after my ship crashed,"

"Your ship? Is it white with strange alien markings on it?"

"The TARDIS? No, it's a police box, and it's blue. I can show it to you if you like,"

After he had finished speaking, a police box, just like he had said, stood right in front of me.

"It's a bit small, isn't it?" I asked.

"Go inside. Come on, it won't hurt you!" The Doctor replied, smiling. I opened the door and walked in, The Doctor and Astrid close behind. It was like nothing I had seen. It was wonderful and very large! In the middle was a strange contraption, and it had many leavers, buttons, a monitor, and a long tube thing that lead right to the ceiling of the TARDIS.

"Deceptive, isn't it?" Astrid asked, knowing the answer I was going to give.

"Very!" I cried in amazement.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sally, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at your home on Earth?" The Doctor asked curiously.

"You mean I'm not on Earth?"

"No, you aren't,"

"Then where am I?"

"I can't say that I'm totally sure,"

"You mean that you have no idea where we are?"

"No,"

"And if you don't mind me asking, Doctor, but what are you? You're not exactly human,"

"I'm a nine hundred and three-year-old Time Lord, from the planet Galifrey,"

"Blimey! There're more planets out there than us humans know about?"

"Yes, but my one was destroyed when the Time Lords and my enemies, The Daleks, had a war,"

"I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm sorry I upset you,"

"Don't worry. Anyway, whereabouts on Earth do you live, Sally?"

"Chorleywood, on the way to London,"

"Right then, Sally, as soon as I can I will get you home to Chorleywood,"

"Does that mean that you can't get me home _yet_?"

"Erm…well, yeah, but I will get you home, assuming that you want to go after all,"

"I wanted to go home before, but since I've met you and Astrid I want to stay with both of you,"

The Doctor looked at me as if he couldn't be any happier. To be truthful, he seemed very lonely and without a friend to go with. I was surprised that he was so happy!

"So, Doctor, what do you do? As in work and stuff,"

"Erm…I don't work. I travel time and space. This is a one-of-a-kind time travelling machine,"

"Really?"  
"Really!"

We began to walk out of the TARDIS, and everything was fine, until we heard screams and the sound of clanking metal. I looked out to see metal men marching towards us, and I screamed.

"Don't worry, they're Cybermen," the Doctor shouted.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better _how_?" I bellowed.

"Do they hurt you, Doctor?" Astrid asked. She looked scared.

"Erm…let's just say-"

Before the Doctor could finish his sentence, a Cyberman mechanically yelled 'Delete! Delete!' and shot some sort of laser at a nearby shopper, who disintegrated to a pile of dust.

"Erm…yeah…they do," the Doctor muttered.

"What are we going to do?" Astrid asked fearfully. The Doctor didn't speak. I don't think _he_ knew what to do!

"That's the thing, isn't it, Doctor? You don't know, do you?" I whispered.

"Well…erm, no, I don't,"

"I think I have an idea. Why don't I be the bait and let the Cybermen chase me, that way you can get away safely,"

"No way, Astrid! You'll be killed!"

"If I die saving you and the Doctor, Sally, then my life will have been worth living,"

"No, Astrid. I won't allow it!"

"But Doctor…"

"No!"

"I've got another idea. Why don't we run to somewhere where the Cybermen won't be able to get to us? I know it's not very good, but we can think of another idea when we're hidden,"

"OK. Let's go!"

There was a lift at the other side of the shop. We had at least thirty seconds to get to it, and we had to be very quick. The Cybermen were getting closer and closer, and if we were slow, they would be upon us like a bad smell. We ran as fast as we could, and we nearly reached it, when I fell over and a group of Cybermen caught me. It was surely the end of my life now!

Chapter Three: Scary Metal Men

This was it. I could feel that my life was drawing to a close, and I just closed my eyes shut, waiting for them to shoot me with their laser thing, when I heard one of them speak.

"You are incompatible," It spoke in a mechanical voice, obviously talking to me. "You will be deleted!"

I had a clue what that meant. I think it meant they were going to kill me! That's bad, really bad!

"What does that mean?" I asked shakily, opening my eyes and looking at the Cyberman in the face.

"You will be deleted. You will die!"

I screamed. They seemed emotionless, unmoved by the fact I was about to die.

"You're not gonna kill me, you walking pile of tin!" I yelled, angry tears falling thick and fast down my cheeks.

I could see the Doctor and Astrid running at the Cybermen around me. The Doctor pulled something out of his jacket and shot a Cyberman, which fell to the floor, dieing in a mechanical way.

"I re-programmed it to destroy foes like Cybermen, and I can easily program it back as it was. It's a Sonic Screwdriver. Be afraid, be very afraid!" the Doctor yelled, firing Cybermen at will. "Sally! Catch!"

I caught the thing that the Doctor threw at me. It looked almost like his Sonic Screwdriver, but it had extra bits added onto it. I think Astrid had one, as she was firing repeatedly at Cybermen. Following her idea, I fired at a Cyberman, and it died like its fellows had before. Soon, there was a large circle of dead (or supposedly dead) Cybermen on the floor, and I stepped out of the ring and jumped into the Doctor's open arms.

"We did it! We beat the Cybermen!" He yelled happily.

"You mean you did, Doctor," I smiled, pulling away, "You re-programmed your Sonic Screwdriver and made another one. I just did what you told me to!"

"We all did it, no matter how much more work one person did," Astrid whispered.

"Well said, Astrid, well said,"

And with that, the Doctor kissed Astrid. I felt the slightest bit jealous, as I was the newcomer and had no idea of this stuff. It wasn't fair! Just 'cause I was only seventeen!

"Well, Sally. Do you want to go home?" the Doctor asked, looking at me solemnly.

"No. I'd much rather stay travelling with you, if you _don't_ mind!" I grunted stubbornly.

"No, not at all. Actually, I do need some company, and the more the merrier!"

"Doctor?" Astrid asked sadly. "Could you take me home? I don't think I'll be able to deal with this stuff every day,"

"Oh! Erm…OK, I'll take you,"

He looked a bit hurt. It seemed as though he expected me to want to go home, not Astrid.

"Well, let's get going. Best not waste any time!" he muttered, pretending to be happy. When we had walked to the TARDIS, when Astrid was sitting in a corner, I pulled the Doctor over to talk to him privately.

"You're gonna miss her, aren't you?" I asked quietly, looking into his eyes directly.

"Yeah, well…I live longer than anyone else. I don't die, I regenerate, and that's why I'm used to leaving people behind…because I can't suffer their death," he whispered sombrely, his eyes seeming as though they had tears in them.

"Can you make someone live longer…like through the TARDIS or something?"

"Yes, and I would if I could do it in time, before they died, then I would make them live as long as I do. Only if they wanted to, of course,"

"I want to,"

"You're not serious, are you Sally?"

"I am,"

"Well, when I've dropped Astrid off, then I might try. Are you prepared if it causes you agonising pain?"  
"Of course!"

"Are you prepared if the TARDIS overloads your body?"

"_Yes_!"

"Are you-"

"Enough with the questions already! I'm prepared for anything your bloody TARDIS throws at me!"

"That's that then! You are going to become immortal…and if you come back to me saying that you want to be mortal again, then I can't help you. Once you become immortal, that's it, OK?"

"OK! Does that mean I'd regenerate if I were to be killed?"

"Yep,"

"Cool!"

"I hope you think it's cool when I've done it!"

The Doctor kept talking about a girl called Rose. He said when she was around my age, he took her on adventures, back and forth through time, but he never said why she wasn't with him now. He mentioned that it had been nineteen years since he'd seen her, and as for the immortality, he just kept putting it off, saying 'I'll do it later!'

"Rose! Come here, I want you to look at something," he said, beckoning me to come and look at the monitor.

"Erm…Doctor? I'm not Rose…" I muttered. It would hardly make any difference, because he'd probably call me Rose again some other time. Following his request, I walked over to where the monitor was and stood next to him, looking at something strange on the screen. It had suddenly occurred to me how tall and thin he was, even though I was about 5'11" and eight and a half stone.

"What…is it?" I asked, bewildered at the reddy-black atmosphere and rocks flying around like birds in the sky on Earth.

"Don't you remember, Rose? It's five billion years in the future for your Earth," he replied, smiling. "And look! There _is_ Earth!"

I looked at what he was pointing at. There, clearly, I could see Earth…but not as what it looked like in the present. It had a large hole in the atmosphere, and it was much bigger that I remembered…

"Doctor? Why's that hole so big?" I asked, shivering at the sight of it.

"That's no hole…" he muttered, going to open the doors of the TARDIS.

"NO! Don't open the doors! I'll suffocate!"

"Nah. The TARDIS will protect you, as long as you stay inside. Anyway, you know that Rose! I've already shown you before!"

I ran to him and slapped his face.

"That's for not telling me about those Cybermen properly, and this is for calling me Rose. MY NAME IS SALLY!"

I felt bad for it, but I punched him in the stomach. I think he knew what I was going to do, and he grabbed my hand before I could hit him.

"Come on, let's not settle this on violence…"  
The Doctor fiddled a bit with a few levers on TARDIS, the whole thing shook, and I flew and hit the wall. It suddenly stopped, and the Doctor stood there as if frozen.

"Doctor? Doctor?!" I whispered, tiptoeing up to him and prodding his shoulder. He stood still, not reacting to my jabbing, just like a statue. Bewildered, I walked slowly to the TARDIS doors and opened them wide.

Chapter Four: Dream Rose

It was London, but it wasn't as I knew it. It had to be at least eighteen or nineteen years ago! I was standing outside a normal London flat, an exact double of the TARDIS standing a few metres in front of me. A girl ran inside it, yelling, "Doctor!"

I followed, curious to find out whom the girl was talking to. Was it the Doctor _I _knew? I looked around the door, and to my disappointment, it wasn't. It was a man with short dark brown hair, blue eyes, and he was wearing a black shirt, black trousers and a black leather jacket. Definitely not a good combination! He muttered something that I couldn't hear, and then stood like the Angel of the North, glowing like the sun. I guess this was the way of regeneration! First, his hair became a slightly lighter brown, then it grew outwards, and his eyes grew brown; his face became younger and slightly more lined, and then he grew thinner and taller, and the clothes became too largely fitted for him. It was _my_ Doctor!

"Doctor?" the girl cried softly.

"Rose?" the Doctor muttered gently, and then fainted, falling in her arms. So _this_ was Rose! It was a wonder he got us mixed up! I was much taller than Rose, being 5'11; she had straight blonde hair, and mine was curly and a pale brown colour. I had a similar face to the Doctor, but I had similar features to Rose. The only two things that we had in common were that she was a slight cockney, like me (I'd lived in London for seven years), and the brown eyes!

"'Scuse me," I called, walking into Rose's view. "Do you need help?"

"Who're you?" Rose asked, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Sally McQueen. I'm from the future, and I know the Doctor,"

"Really? Well, you couldn't help me get him to my mum's flat upstairs, could you?"

"Sure!"

Rose and I grabbed the Doctor under the armpits and dragged him out of the TARDIS and up the stairs of the flat block, trying not to hurt him when we ran up the stairs.

"I'm Rose Tyler by the way," she smiled, still traces of tears on her face.

"So the Doctor tells me. He talks a lot about you," I laughed gently.

"He has two hearts. Did he tell you?"

"No, really?"

"Yeah!"

"Wow!"

"Anyway, how long have you been with him?"

"Not long. I'd say about three or four hours. How about you?"

"Erm…about half a year…well, with the old one. He regenerated,"

"I guessed so. How far up is your flat?"

"Just here,"

Rose knocked on the door. I couldn't tell how many flights of stairs we'd hauled the Doctor up, but I was grateful to finally get there.

"Mum? It's Rose!" she called through the door.

"Rose? Hang on, I'll open the door," a voice cried. The door opened and there stood a woman, around mid-forties.

"Who's this?" she asked, looking at me sternly. She definitely seemed very mumsy!

"This is Sally McQueen. She knows the Doctor," she replied, pointing at the Doctor.

"That's not the Doctor, is it? I thought he was more…sturdier,"

"He…regenerated," I muttered.

"Hey, Rose!" a young black man yelled, coming into view.

"Mickey!"

Rose dropped the Doctor's left arm and jumped into Mickey's open ones.

"Erm…Mrs. Tyler? Could you dress him in something else and put him in bed or…"

"I'll put him in my ex-husband's pyjamas and he can rest, oh and call me Jackie,"

"OK, Mrs- I mean- Jackie,"

Together we heaved him onto a bed, his limp body making him hard to carry. To our surprise, the Doctor woke up with a loud moan and opened his eyes.

"Doctor? Do you think you'll be able to put some pyjamas on yourself?" Jackie asked, as if talking to a four-year-old.

"I think I'm capable of that, Jackie," the Doctor groaned. Jackie passed him a pair of PJs, and we left the room to let him get dressed in peace. I walked into the living room, following Jackie, who told me to sit down in the armchair near Mickey and Rose.

"I'm making a pot. Do you want tea or coffee?" she called from the kitchen.

"Erm…tea, please," I replied slowly, as if not sure what I should say. I don't really like tea or coffee, but I'd drink it if it was to be polite!

"Just like my Rose, you are. I mean, you've got hair that you just let hang in your face, and you both like wearing the same thing!"

"I…I guess so,"

"If you don't mind me asking," she whispered, beckoning me to come into the kitchen. I obeyed and walked in before Jackie shut the door.

"Ah, that's better. Well, do you have a relationship with the Doctor?"  
"No, I've only just really met him in the future. At the moment, he's frozen solid, like a statue. It was just by chance we landed here. Why, does Rose?"

"I think so. She's been a bit funny with Mickey when the Doctor's around. You see, Mickey's her boyfriend, and I think he might be cottoning on to Rose's feelings about him. Oh, it's all complicated!"

It was all very strange. How would Jackie know about Rose and the Doctor if Rose had been with him for a long time, by the way he spoke of her?

"How do you know about this? How come-" I started. Then I woke up on the TARDIS, or at least I thought I had woken up. I looked around, and sure enough, the Doctor stood jiggling with leavers and buttons as usual.

"Sorry, Sal-is it alright if I call you Sal? Well, anyway-erm, don't worry about what just happened-it wasn't supposed to happen, and hopefully it won't ever happen…" he said all too quickly for me to understand, so I just nodded.

"Am I ever supposed to meet Rose?" I asked.

"Well…erm, yeah, as well as Martha and Donna-"

"So me and Rose aren't the only ones?"

"Nope,"

"That's…okay then,"

I suddenly realised that he had remembered my name!  
"Doctor! You remembered my name!" I cried, hugging him.

"Why wouldn't I, eh?" the Doctor grinned. "Right, just before we 'boldly go where no-one has gone before', you can say your goodbyes to your family, and all that mushy stuff,"

"Okey-doke. Know where to go?"

"Oh yeah!"

Chapter Five: A Shock To The System

It was nice to have the grass rippling under my feet after several hours of being cooped up inside, and the warm summer breeze blowing gently on my face. It was around midday, and the house seemed massive in the shadows. I opened the backdoor, and there stood my mother making a cake as she usually did on a Sunday.

"Where have you been? I had no note, no nothing!" she snapped.

"I didn't have time…I was dragged out the door! Anyway, I'm seventeen; I can do what I want!" I hissed back. No welcome, as per usual. Happens every time I come in late or after a long while!

"Mum, I'm going out somewhere for a bit,"

"How long for?"

"I don't know how long, but I'll phone you if its longer than a week. Where's dad, Jessica and Oliver?"

"Oh, alright then. They're all upstairs in the attic sorting out the junk in there,"

"Okay,"

So much for a quick goodbye!

As soon as Sally had gone, the Doctor typed her name into the birth records he had hacked into, and clicked enter. He scanned the writing quickly, hardly believing what he was seeing:

Name: Sally McQueen

Birth name: Hayley 'Smith'

Age: 427

Birth date: 23rd March 2008

Adopted Home Planet: Earth

The Doctor scrolled down more, curious to find out more about this strange girl.

Home Planet: Galifrey

Race: Human, Time Lord

The Doctor gaped. He was the only Time Lord left, and, as he recalled, the Daleks had destroyed Galifrey. What was even weirder was that her Birth name and Given name were entirely different to each other, which obviously meant that…no, that couldn't be…his children and wife died…didn't they? Was it a huge joke? Now eager to unravel this young woman's past, he scrolled down even more, his two hearts pulsating fast.

Foster mother: Marie McQueen

Foster father:James McQueen

Birth mother:

Birth father: The Doctor

Sibling Name: Oliver McQueen

Birth name: John 'Smith'

Age: 427

Birth date: 23rd March 2008

Adopted Home

Planet: Earth

Home Planet: Galifrey

Race: Human, Time Lord

Foster mother: Marie McQueen

Foster father: James McQueen

Birth mother:

Birth father: The Doctor

The Doctor yelled. He never knew his children had survived, let alone the fact that they had managed to get away from the burning planet, and now he had found them. The children who looked so much like his wife, yet also so much like him. The two companions that could stay with him for life without him having to suffer their deaths, the one who could always keep him company. He would never be alone again! At that moment, Sally (or Hayley as her real name was) came bursting into the TARDIS, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"When I said where I was going with…I said a man, I didn't mention any names…they screamed at me and told me I wasn't allowed back into their house. I've officially been kicked out!"

Chapter Six: My Real Mum?

I was devastated. I'd been thrown out of my own house, and I had nowhere to live.

"Why have they turned you out?" the Doctor asked, his face straight and serious.

"They thought I was running away to marry you, and because of that they said I'm not allowed back, and then slammed the door in my face," I sobbed, finding myself hugging the Doctor and his firm hand stroking my hair, as if I were his child. Then I saw it on the monitor. My birth records, my profile…everything. I caught a glimpse of a picture of me beside my name, age and parents, and couldn't help gasping at what the text beside the photo said. It was all true!

"What's this?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"A birth record. _Your_ birth record to be exact. Scroll up and read it, and I'll trust you that you'll be surprised," he frowned. There was a moment's pause, then...

"I'm…your daughter and Time…what do you call a female Time Lord? And Oli-I mean John is as well?" I stuttered, half-happy and half-fearful.

"Yup. You can't die either…" the Doctor smiled, raising his eyebrows.

"How come _we _don't have a 'TARDIS' each?" I giggled.

"Mmm…I'm not sure why. Maybe it's on Earth or something…"

"Will they look like yours?"

"Not sure…but we have to go and get your brother, but I'm not sure how we'll be able to get him out without your 'parents' noticing,"

"How did I know it would end up in spy work?"

"Just call it 'knowing me all too well'. You are my daughter after all, I suppose,"

"How are we going to do this then?" I asked, shivering. It was bloody cold in that TARDIS!

"Well, for starters I'll turn on the heating in here-" the Doctor laughed, pausing to pull a lever and to take his jacket off. It was instantly lovely and warm; just the temperature I wanted it!

"I was thinking of going back in time to when your 'family' were having dinner, and you _could_ drug their drinks…"

"But that'd mean I'd be drugging myself!"

"Not the brightest, are you? I _meant _that we could drug them when you had already left!"

"Oi! What would we drug them with though?"

"Ihappen to _have_ some sleeping pills somewhere…"

The Doctor began to search frantically for the pills as if it were a matter of life and death…well it was in a way.

"Are these it?" I enquired, pulling a small bag of pills out of the Doctor's jacket.

"Yeah those are it," he took the pills and pulled on his jacket. "We're going back in time!"

Chapter Seven: Back Again

This time, going back to my house, I felt as if I were walking into a deep trap. I stood outside my front door, where I was still known as Sally McQueen. It was a shock when I found out that 'Mum' wasn't really mum, and me and my brother Oliver (who is really called John) are actually a different race from a different galaxy! A man named the Doctor had shown me everything, but I wasn't sure to believe it or not. Was it true? Was he my biological father? Who knows…only my 'parents', who're prob'ly inside stuffing their faces! I rapped the door, and pulled down my badly fitting school uniform. 'Mum' opened the door and smiled at me, beckoning to come and sit with her in the living room (lounge for all you posh people!). She somehow knew in her expression that I was suspicious, that I wanted to know everything about my past…

"So, Sal. Had a good day at school?" she asked brightly, the smile not reaching her icy cold blue eyes as she led me into the living room.

"Um…it was OK, I s'pose," I replied, shuffling guiltily in my seat. I had to bring every ounce of courage to the surface, and valour is _not_ my strongest point.

"Sal, is there anything you want to ask? Anything at all?"

"Er…no,"

"Are you sure?"

"Um…no,"

"What do you wanna ask then?"

"Can I see my birth certificates?"

"Why on earth-?"

"You said yourself that one day I'd want to find out who my biological parents were. Well, now's that day,"

"Well, fine enough-but how did you find out that we adopted you?"

"Just guessed…"

'Mum' pulled a draw in the filing cabinet out and ruffled around the papers.

She reluctantly handed me my birth certificate in a neat plastic wallet, which I took as slowly as possible. These weren't right...they couldn't be...I was supposed to be born in 2008, not 2012. That was the year of the London Olympics!

"These are fake, aren't they?!" I yelled, throwing the papers at her. Storming out of the back door, I ran straight into the field behind our garden. The TARDIS stood in the middle, it's bright blue contrasting with the warm yellow of the wheat. This was where the Doctor stood eagerly awaiting my arrival.

"Don't tell me you_ forgot_ to bring John with you?" he asked, not unkindly, walking out to greet me.

"Doctor, I'm so sorry. I wanted to look at my birth certificate and I forgot to do it," I whispered, feeling tears welling up in my eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll do it myself. Stay here and don't leave the TARDIS,"

And the Doctor disappeared over the fence.


	2. Chapter Eight: Good night, sleep tight

Chapter Eight: Good night, sleep tight…

The Doctor stood outside number twenty-four, Park Heath Close with his physic paper ready and waiting in his hand, running the other through his hair. He raised his hand to knock, when the door opened and a short dumpy woman with greying black hair and large blue eyes stood there, surveying him.

"John Smith, Social Worker. Just thought I'd pop 'round and check you're looking after your children and your home is in order, and don't worry, it's not a full inspection. It's nothing to worry about…oh, and sorry I'm so late," The Doctor smiled, holding up the physic paper.

"It's OK, Mr Smith. Do come in, I was just about to make some tea. May I take your coat?" she replied nervously.

"Thanks. You are Mrs. Marie McQueen, aren't you?"

"Why, I am,"

"And you have three children, am I correct?"

"Yes. Jessica, my eldest (she's twenty-one today), and twin son and daughter, Oliver and Sally, who're seventeen. Unfortunately, Sally's ran off somewhere. Oh, you'd love her, she's wonderful. Very bright, always top of class, and so's her brother…"

The Doctor glimpsed a pile of papers lying on the floor in a messy heap. 'These must be the birth certificates Hayley was talking about,' he thought, sitting down in the baggy armchair Mrs. McQueen had offered him.

"Would you like a cup of tea? The kettle's just boiled," she asked timidly.

"Oh, go on then. I love a good cuppa," he beamed. "Could I read your newspaper? I haven't been able to buy one lately,"

"Sure go ahead. One or two sugars?"

"Er…one please. Thanks for your hospitality, by the way. I'm sure your children are glad to have such a wonderful mother,"

"I wouldn't say 'wonderful'. Caring, maybe, but not wonderful,"

She brought the teas on a tray, put it on the coffee table and walked upstairs to get the rest of the McQueen clan. Meanwhile, the Doctor searched his pockets for the sleeping pills. They weren't in there! 'They were in my jacket! Damn!' he thought angrily. Grabbing the paper, he began to read, trying to stop his frustration from overloading. On the front page, it read in large letters:

_GIRL, 21, STILL MISSING AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED AT BIRTH_

_Ava Hartley, whom is twenty-one today, has been missing since birth in a hospital in New Zealand. Police, who have been searching for the girl since 2004, have had no success and continue to search every country to find her. Parents Maya and Luke Hartley are also searching, positive that their daughter is alive and well. 'We have lost twenty-one years of our beautiful daughter growing up, and we can't think why anyone would take that away from us. Please, whoever has her, let us know that she is alive,' comments a tearful Maya. So far, not one sighting of Ava has been reported. If you happen to find her, call us on '03256 994 996'._

The Doctor looked at the girl's picture. It was bad enough kidnapping the child in the first place, but for twenty-one years…but he found a coincidence in the tale: Jessica was twenty-one today. Could she be the missing Ava Hartley? The sounds of clomping coming down the stairs filled his ears suddenly, and he realised it was the rest of the McQueens coming down the stairs in a rush to get tea. His sensitive hearing picked up another sound apart from the dominant 'thump thump'…whispering. No, maybe he imagined it…

"Mr Smith, this is the remainder of the family. Jessica, Oliver and David, this is Mr Smith. He's inspecting our house," Mrs McQueen smiled, gesturing to the Doctor.

"Good evening, Mr Smith. How has work been?" Mr McQueen asked, shaking the Doctor's hand.

"Not bad, not bad. Yours?" the Doctor smiled back, standing up. As he did this, he saw Oliver look at him; he had a young and innocent face, and was very tall. He was also thin, with the same dark brown hair and deep brown eyes hidden behind square thick-rimmed glasses as his natural father standing in front of him, and stood with hands in pockets. All the air of his father, of course.

"Oh, mine's good. Would you like to sit down?"

"OK, thanks. Lovely little place you've got here…"

The Doctor gulped as a horrid taste from the tea lasted forever in his mouth. It tasted oddly like…like _quietus benzina_. How could he be so stupid? He knew right from the beginning that she was suspicious, so taking the tea was just a mistake along the way…thinking about this, he felt his eyelids become heavy and droop, then his head lolled forward into his chest. Then the cup fell on the floor with a tinkle of china bouncing off the walls, and it went dark; the Doctor was out cold.


	3. Chapter Nine: Jenny

Chapter Nine: Jenny

I had waited for four hours at least, and the Doctor still wasn't back. It was dark, so it must've been at least half-past eight when he had left. When would he learn to be on time? Then again, John and I are like that…always late for lessons, always forgiven because we were top of the class. It all fits now though, the superhuman knowledge and all that rubbish. Comes from the Doctor, or as I should call him, Dad. Dad's the one who's been around the far off galaxies, the many different planets and so on. Dad's the one who's been lonely all his life…well, so have I. No friends, no one to talk to. I don't even know my real mum, let alone about other planets and solar systems. No, I mustn't remind myself about that. I have friends now; I have my real Dad to talk to. But what does he know about ordinary teenage girls' problems? I'm not human, but that doesn't mean that my life isn't like theirs…boys, make up, secrets, lies…oh, what do I care? I'm not like that really. I'm… different. I'm…a Time Lord's daughter. I can cope! Just as I was beginning to forget my life as a human, a young woman appeared in front of me, wielding a gun. She pointed, as if to shoot, did a backwards somersault and stood right up to my face.

"Who are you?" she asked, walking around me as if I were a prisoner.

"Hayley," I replied, taking a step closer to her.

"Just Hayley?"

"Yeah. And you are…?"

"Jenny,"

"_Just_ Jenny?"

"Yep,"

"So…what are you here for? Looking for someone and got lost?"

"Looking for my Dad. What are _you_ here for?"

"Waiting…waiting for _my_ Dad, who told me to stay here. Not that it actually _concerns_ you,"

"Hang on, he never said anything about _other_ children…"

"_Other_ children?"

"My Dad...the Doctor,"

"But- no way! I'm his daughter too…how- how?"

I looked at her. She seemed nothing like him; she was a feisty blonde with dazzling sapphire blue eyes…but she was quite tall though. _And_ she was very flexible!

"How where you born?" she asked, lowering the gun.

"What d'you mean 'how was I born?'! I was born the natural human way, thanks very much! Why, how were _you_ born?" I snapped.

"I'm a clone from his living tissue. He's my 'mum' and 'dad', as you would say," she stated seriously. I began to giggle at the thought of Dad being both parents.

"Oh…wonderful," I replied, trying not to snigger anymore.

"Where is he then?" She was beginning to get impatient; I could tell.

"At my old house. He's been there too long for my liking. Want to come and help me 'tear him away'?"

"Didn't he tell you to stay here?"

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you didn't disobey him when you were born!"

"OK, let's get on with it then!"

We reached the back door and tried to wrench it open. It was locked! Jenny tried kicking it open, but it didn't work, so we stood there for fifteen minutes thinking what to do. Then an idea came to me. The Sonic Screwdriver that Dad had given me when were fighting the Cybermen!

"Jenny, stand back, Hang on, if I…wait a minute. What are these doing in here?" I pulled out a pair of black, square thick-rimmed glasses out of my pocket that I swear weren't there before. Jamming the glasses on and feeling my eyesight grow steadily better, my hand shot into my pocket again and I grasped the Sonic Screwdriver.

"If I put this to setting four…" I jiggled around with it, clicked it the right setting and pushed my curly brown hair out of my face. "…it should work…aha! That's it!" I beamed, pressing the button, igniting the tip and activating the funny buzzing sound. I shined it on the door lock and it glowed bright blue, then a clear click sounded like a bullet in an empty plain. I shoved the door handle and the door whined as it opened, and reminded me that I needed to put oil on the hinges (which was a job I'd been meaning to do since I was twelve, but oh well…it's not my home anymore, so I shouldn't have to look after it!)

"Can you hear laughing?" Jenny whispered in the darkness behind me. All the lights in the house were off, and it was a mess in the kitchen. It looked like there had been a fight in there not long ago, and one of them had come off worse; a sticky substance only recognisable as blood lay on the floor in a trail deliberately made so we could find it. I moved around in the dark, trying to find the light switch. When I found it and snapped it on, blood was on my hand; it was still wet from the fight earlier.

"Charming, just charming. Right, stay behind or go in front, whichever way, I don't care. Just go straight ahead," I whispered, letting Jenny and her gun move further on. I'd rather my back not be the target for bullets! When we'd reached the hallway I looked at myself in the mirror. With the glasses on, I seemed even more like Dad, but then I realised; it was actually his face staring back at me. My first reaction was to look around, to see if he was standing behind me, but there was no one there.

"You OK Hayley?" Jenny asked, her smile not as bright as it would've been if this horrid mystery wasn't happening.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," I replied, trying to hide the fear in my voice. I continued to stare at Dad's face; it made me feel safe, more assure of myself. Then he spoke…

"Hayley? I never thought I'd ask anyone this, but can you help us? We're in a room, a basement or something. I know you'll find us, I know you'll succeed, so don't give up trying. You can do it, Hayley, you can do it," his reflection whispered, his face melting away until it was my own again. I didn't say anything else to Jenny, and stood there silently. Then a noise I could only distinguish as laughter echoed all around us. I listened to the wall of the stairs where the cupboard was, and the laughing got louder still. I recognised the voices…they belonged to Marie and David, my 'parents'. I hate them now!

"Open the cupboard door…I think there's a secret basement down there," I muttered to Jenny, who pulled the handle. Fresh blood was on her hand too.

"Who would leave a trail of everywhere?" she asked in a low whisper, wiping her hand in disgust.

"Someone who wants us to find them," I replied, stooping into the small cupboard. I was right! Metal stairs lead down to a dimly lit room below, and as slowly as we could, Jenny and I proceeded down the steps. What a nightmare this was turning out to be!


End file.
